Pickup: 2013 Ram 1500

2013 Ram 1500

PHOTO: Handout, Chrysler

By Derek McNaughton, National Post

Originally published: October 31, 2012

SMALL

MEDIUM

LARGE

The 2013 Ram 1500 delivers such a comfortable ride, comes with such a gorgeous interior and yet still does the many manly things expected of a body-on-frame 4×4 workhorse that it’s difficult not to be seduced by its merits.

The 1500 will also raise the bar for every pickup on the market not just in fuel economy – the historical bane of the pickup – but in interior space, towing capability and cabin comfort. Something that started as a mild refresh to a Ram design that first appeared in 2009 quickly became, Chrysler says, a pursuit for best-in-class fuel economy and capability.

That pursuit paid off with a remarkable achievement in fuel consumption of 7.8 litres per 100 kilometres in highway driving, thanks to the first ever installation of an eight-speed transmission in a pickup, plus Chrysler’s ubiquitous and much lauded Pentastar 3.6-litre V6.

The TorqueFlite eight-speed isn’t a busybody either, not constantly flirting around with the next gear the way some luxury cars do. Shifts are snappy, smooth and many times imperceptible. Kickdown is faster and more intuitive than the six-speed gearbox. For towing or hauling, the eight-speed is a perfectly natural fit.

The eight-speed transmission also makes the best of the Pentastar’s 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque, shaving three seconds off the old V6 in zero-to-100-kilometres-an-hour runs. The eight-speed should also significantly trim the thirst of the 395-hp 5.7L Hemi V8, the combination of which will come available in early 2013. The 4.7L V8 will also continue to be available.

Naturally, the bonus of any truck is off-road capability. The Ram 1500 will separate itself from the competition with a new optional air suspension.

Controlled via buttons on the dash, it has five height settings that can lift the truck up to five centimetres for off-roading or down five cm for cargo loading or just making it easier to get in and out of.

Like its 2012 predecessor, the 2013 Ram 1500 will be available in three cab configurations (two-door regular cab, four-door extended quad cab and four-door crew cab) with three box sizes. As before, several model packages are available from the ST up to the Laramie Longhorn.

All of this means that the new Ram 1500 can be configured to suit not just the traditional, hard-core pickup buyer but families that want a roomy, comfortable and capable ride.